FOREST FIRES. 127 



year or raore unless we have very heavy rains. They often 

 cause great injury by burning out all organic matter from 

 the soil and leaving- it in poor shape for crops, though a 

 rather severe but not excessive firing of bogs may do much to 

 clear the land of roots and put it in shape for a good hay 

 meadow. Then, too, they often so reduce the level of the 

 land by burning out the organic matter as to make it wet and 

 of no value for agricultural crops. Tf such fires are attacked 

 soon after they secure a foothold in the soil they are seldom 

 very difficult to put out. Where not deep in the ground or of 

 very great extent, the burning peat may be dug out and 

 watered, but this is often impracticable on account of the 

 heat. In this latter case a ditch shauld be dug around the 

 fire as close to it as practicable and of sufficient depth to 

 reach standing water or the subsoil. The fire should then be 

 carefully watched to see that it does not get beyond the ditch. 

 It is seldom that sufficient water can be put on a large bog fire 

 to put it out, on account of the great amount of water that 

 dry peat will absorb and the protective covering of ashes and 

 peat usually found over a bog fire. 



